Buckley supports Swan's fine

Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley has expressed his disappointment with Dane Swan's decision to participate in this week's Footy Show interview, supporting chief executive Gary Pert's decision to fine the midfielder for disobeying club protocol for a reported five-figure payment.

Buckley indicated he had taken a strong interest in the fine of up to $5000 handed to Swan this week and said that while the episode would not detract from Swan's strong pre-season, he and his management had made a poor decision.

''Our players know the rules,'' Buckley said. ''Dane and his management didn't follow the rules so it's pretty simple. There was a commercial gain individually for something that he didn't follow the collective protocol [on]. Dane knows it, I know it, Perty knows it, every player at the football club knows it. It was a no-brainer.

''I'm a leader in the football department and a leader at the footy club so I care about it. If you don't follow the expectations and needs and demands of the footy club, you cop your whack and you move on.

''It's not a huge issue, but five grand's not a sniff of money, there's a fair bit there. I daresay that Swanny would understand that he can't do it the same way next time.''

Swan's manager has accused Collingwood president Eddie McGuire of hypocrisy and said he was prepared to fight the fine the Magpies imposed.

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Liam Pickering conceded on Saturday he should have advised Collingwood that his client had agreed to be interviewed on The Footy Show, but said McGuire was ''playing the man as usual'' in criticising the manager's actions in arranging the interview.

McGuire said on Friday he had no issue with what Swan said in the interview, but would fine him $25,000 - the sum reportedly paid to the player for the interview - if he could. He claimed the television program he hosted for 12 years and Pickering had ''plotted'' to arrange the interview without informing the Magpies.

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Pickering said McGuire knew of the arrangement before Swan spoke to Nine and accused him of double standards in that he last year interviewed Liam Jurrah for Foxtel without putting a request in to the Demons, after the Melbourne forward was charged with assault.

''I'm accusing Eddie McGuire of being a hypocrite, absolutely I am,'' Pickering said on his SEN program. ''Just 12 months ago: stuff Melbourne's protocols. And then 12 months on he's wanting to fine Dane Swan $5000.''